The Ocean Springs School District is committed to high levels of academic achievement for all students, and thus seeks to employ highly qualified teachers in the elementary, middle, and high schools. The District shall employ teachers on a professional basis without regard to age, race, color, gender, or national origin. Every school teacher employed in the Ocean Springs School District must possess a valid license and shall execute a written contract with the Ocean Springs Board of Education.
The term "teacher" shall include any employee of a local school who is required by law to obtain a teacher's license from the State Board of Education and who is assigned to an instructional area of work as defined by the State Department of Education. ' 37-151-5 (f) (1997)
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT
Beginning in the 2002-03 school year, districts may hire only highly qualified teachers for Title I support programs. Districts must develop a plan to have all teachers be highly qualified by the end of the 2005-06 school year. The Mississippi Department of Education must develop a plan to have all teachers teaching in core academic subjects be highly qualified by the end of the 2005-06 school year.
Beginning July 1, 2006, any teacher from any state meeting the federal definition of highly qualified, as described in the No Child Left Behind Act, must be granted a standard five-year license by the State Department of Education.
"HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER" REQUIREMENTS
Elementary school teacher new to the profession:
- Holds at least a bachelor's degree AND
- Has demonstrated relevant subject matter and teaching skills by passing a rigorous state test
Middle or secondary school teacher new to the profession:
- Holds at least a bachelor's degree AND
- Has demonstrated a high level of competency in each of the academic subjects in which s/he teachers by:
> passing a rigorous state academic test in each subject in which the teacher teaches, OR
> successful completion, in each of the academic subject in which the teacher teaches, of an academic major, a graduate degree, coursework equivalent to an academic major, or advanced certification of credentialing
Elementary, middle or secondary school teacher not new to the profession:
- Holds at least a bachelor's degree; AND
- Meets applicable standard for a teacher who is new to the profession, which includes an option for a test; OR
- Demonstrates competence in all academic subjects in which the teacher teachers based on a high, objective, uniform state standard of evaluation
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI REQUIREMENTS
(a) Standard License - Approved Program Route. An educator entering the school system of Mississippi for the first time and meeting all requirements as established by the State Board of Education shall be granted a standard five-year license. Persons who possess two (2) years of classroom experience as an assistant teacher or who have taught for one (1) year in an accredited public or private school shall be allowed to fulfill student teaching requirements under the supervision of a qualified participating teacher approved by an accredited college of education. The local school district in which the assistant teacher is employed shall compensate such assistant teachers at the required salary level during the period of time such individual is completing student teaching requirements.
Applicants must submit to the Mississippi Department of Education required forms, transcripts, test scores, and other documentation as specified in Section 37-3-2 (6) (a).
A Standard License - Approved Program Route and a Standard License - Nontraditional Teaching Route shall be issued for a five-year period and may be renewed. Recognizing teaching as a profession, a hiring preference shall be granted to persons holding a Standard License - Approved Program Route or a Standard License - Nontraditional Teaching Route over persons holding any other license.
(b) Standard License - Nontraditional Teaching Route. Applicants for a Standard License - Nontraditional Teaching Route must submit to the Mississippi Department of Education required forms, transcripts, test scores, and other documentation as specified in Section 37-3-2 (6) (b).
(c) Special License - Expert Citizen. In order to allow a school district to offer specialized or technical courses, the Mississippi Department of Education, in accordance with rules and regulations established by the State Board of Education, may grant a one-year expert citizen-teacher license to local business or other professional personnel to teach in a public school or nonpublic school accredited or approved by the State. Such person may begin teaching upon his employment by the local school board and licensure by the Mississippi Department of Education. The board shall adopt rules and regulations to administer the expert citizen-teacher license. A Special License - Expert Citizen may be renewed in accordance with the established rules and regulations of the State Department of Education.
(d) Special License - Non-Renewable. The State Department of Education is authorized to establish rules and regulations to allow those educators not meeting requirements in subsection (6)(a), (b) or (c) to be licensed for a period of not more than three (3) years, except by special approval of the State Board of Education.
(e) Non-Licensed Teaching Personnel. A non-licensed person may teach for a maximum of three (3) periods per teaching day in a public school or a nonpublic school accredited/approved by the State. Such person shall submit to the department a transcript or record of his education and experience which substantiates his preparation for the subject to be taught and shall meet other qualifications specified by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development and approved by the State Board of Education. In no case shall the school board hire non-licensed personnel as authorized under this paragraph in excess of five percent (5%) of the total number of licensed personnel in any single school.
(f) Special License - Transitional Bilingual Education. Beginning July 1, 2003, the commission shall grant special licenses to teachers of transitional bilingual education who possess such qualifications as are prescribed in this section. Teachers of transitional bilingual education shall be compensated by local school boards at not less than one (1) step on the regular salary schedule applicable to permanent teachers licensed under this section. The commission shall grant speci al licenses to teachers of transitional bilingual education who present the commission with satisfactory evidence that they (i) possess a speaking and reading ability in a language, other than English, in which bilingual education is offered and communicative skills in English; (ii) are in good health and sound moral character; (iii) possess a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree in teacher education from an accredited institution of higher education; (iv) meet such requirements as to courses of study, semester hours therein, experience and training as may be required by the commission; and (v) are legally present in the United States and possess legal authorization for employment. A teacher of transitional bilingual education serving under a special license shall be under an exemption from standard licensure if he achieves the requisite qualifications therefor. Two (2) years of service by a teacher of transitional bilingual education under such an exemption shall be credited to the teacher in acquiring a Standard Educator License. Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to prohibit a local school board from employing a teacher licensed in an appropriate field as approved by the State Department of Education to teach in a program in transitional bilingual education.
(g) In the event the school district meets Level 4 or 5 accreditation standards, the State Board of Education, in its discretion, may exempt the school district from any restrictions that may apply under this paragraph relating to the employment of non-licensed teaching personnel.
(h) Highly Qualified Teachers. Beginning July 1, 2006, any teacher from any state meeting the federal definition of highly qualified, as described in the No Child Left Behind Act, must be granted a standard five-year license by the State Department of Education.
' 37-3-2 (6) 2006
RECIPROCITY
The Department shall grant a standard license to any individual who possesses a valid standard license from another state. and has a minimum of two (2) years of full-time teaching or administrator experience.
The Department shall grant a nonrenewable special license to any individual who possesses a credential which is less than a standard license from another state. Such special license shall be valid for the current school year plus one (1) additional school year to expire on June 30 or the second year, not to exceed a total period of twenty-four (24) months, during which time the applicant shall be required to complete the requirements for a standard license in Mississippi. ' 37-3-2 (8) (2006)
LICENSE RENEWAL
The State Board of Education is authorized to establish rules and regulations for the renewal and reinstatement of educator and administrator licenses. Effective May 15, 1997, the valid standard license held by an educator shall be extended five (5) years beyond the expiration date of the license in order to afford the educator adequate time to fulfill new renewal requirements established pursuant to this subsection. An educator completing the master of education, educational specialist or doctor of education degree in May 1997 for the purpose of upgrading the educator's license to a higher class shall be given this extension of five (5) years plus five (5) additional years for completion of a higher degree. ' 37-3-2 (9) (2002)
The Mississippi Public School Accountability Standard for this policy is Standard 8.
LEGAL REF.: MS CODE as cited
P. L. 107-110 (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001)
Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards
ADOPTED: 08/12/1986
REVISED: 02/14/2006
12/12/2006
12/08/2009